plash of fruit falling around us,
announcing that birds were feeding overhead; and looking up, we
discovered flocks of parakeets, or bright blue chatterers, or pompadours
having delicate white wings and claret-coloured plumage. Again, with a
whir a trogon on the wing would seize some fruit, or a clumsy toucan
would make the branches shake as he alighted above our heads. We saw
several species of trogons, and frequently caught sight of that curious
black umbrella-bird which I have before described. Clumps of the light
and exquisitely graceful assai palm shot up everywhere. Here and there
the drooping bamboos dipped their feathery branches into the water,
frequently covered to their very tops with purple convolvuli; yellow
bignonias carried their golden clusters to the very summit of the more
lofty trees; while white flowering myrtles and orange-coloured mallows
bordered the channel. Crabs of every variety of colour and size sat on
decaying logs watching for their prey. No sooner, however, did we
attempt to seize them than they made off with nimble feet.

I saw all these sights and many more, and yet, as I have said, I gazed
on them as in a dream, while with my companions I floated on and on
through the silent water. When the sun's rays struck down on the
surface of the river, it appeared bright and clear, and our eyes could
frequently penetrate to the very bottom even where it was too deep to
allow us to wade; but in other places, where overhung by the thick
foliage, or after the sun had sunk behind the tall trees, it was as
black as ink; and I could not help feeling a sensation of dread lest
some ravenous monster was lurking beneath, ready to seize us as we
passed by. I refrained from expressing my fears, as they did not appear
to be entertained by the rest of the party. Perhaps they too felt as I
did, but thought it better to say nothing about the matter, as the
journey had to be performed, and there was no other way of accomplishing
it.

We began to feel anxious at not having come up with our friends ahead,
and were eagerly looking out for them. Sambo assured us that we were
not far from the spot where he had left the raft. As he and Tim swam
faster than any of us--except Kallolo, who, carrying the monkey, was
somewhat impeded in his progress--Uncle Paul directed them to push on
ahead to tell our friends that we were coming. Maco and Polo would
probably have been employed for the service; but the former,